Batman movie killer met prostitutes before shooting spree

The gunman accused of killing 12 people and injuring 58 at a premiere of the latest Batman movie in the US met a string of prostitutes on seedy escort websites, according to media reports.

James Holmes, 24, has met the prostitutes on seedy escort websites in the months before the cinema shooting spree and women were said to have been frightened by him, The Sun tabloid reported today.

A vice girl has told how she was visited twice by Batman madman James Holmes – claiming he was "really nice".

One escort called Tiffany told TMZ: "I had no issues with him - he was really nice. He felt bad that I wasn't getting more customers while in Colorado, so he called a few days later and we met up again."

Tiffany met with Holmes in August last year. Another hooker said Holmes "looked very familiar" but couldn't say for certain if he was a client.

TMZ tracked down the girls after they discovered several posts written under his supposed screen name.

Holmes' legal team refused to comment.

Holmes followed the "teachings" of Norwegian mass killer Anders Breivik as he planned his murder spree at screening of "The Dark Knight Rises," throwing two tear-gas type devices before opening fire in Colorado.